Why don't they use it? Many opponents of the Oxford comma claim that it makes a piece of writing sound more pretentious and stuffy, and that it can make things seem cluttered and redundant. Many magazine publishers renounce its use as well, because sentences loaded with commas take up valuable page space.
While the serial comma does help clarify lists, it can interfere with good sentence composition and flow. Many journalists are against it for this reason. Some even argue that it makes for lazy writing or clutters the piece with unnecessary punctuation.
The University of Oxford styleguide has decided that as 'a general rule' use of the serial comma should be avoided. Here's the official entry: As a general rule, do not use the serial/Oxford comma: so write 'a, b and c' not 'a, b, and c'.
The Oxford comma did not actually originate at Oxford University in England. One can trace its origin in English guides from the early 20th century. The Oxford comma is "correct" in American Standard English but does not exist in other languages, nor is it mandatory in British or International English.
The use of the Oxford comma is a matter of style, meaning that some publishing styles stipulate its use while others don't. In other words, it's not incorrect to use the Oxford comma or not to use it, but it is advisable to be consistent one way or the other.
It highlights that the conjunction alone serves as a separation of two things in a list, thus accurately proving the Oxford comma obsolete. This is suggesting that rather than incorporating extra commas to eliminate ambiguity for the reader, the writer should instead rephrase a sentence themselves to flow more easily.
The big shift in this thinking came in 1905, when a printer named Horace Hart updated his style guide for Oxford University Press, requiring his employees to use a comma before the last item in a series.
Australian and American English both use the Oxford comma like this, but they differ on when it is used: Typically, in Australian English, we only use an Oxford comma when a list would be unclear without one, such as in the example sentence above.
In English, you must put a comma before 'and' when it connects two independent clauses. A clause is independent when it could stand on its own as a sentence–it has its own subject and verb. Example: Comma before 'and' connecting two independent clauses Jagmeet walks to school, and Rebecca takes the bus.
All the same, some detractors argue that the Oxford comma is an Americanism, with no place in British English. Others say it is an anachronism and is not required in the majority of cases. However, supporters argue that there are sentences where the inclusion of an Oxford comma is required to ensure clarity.
The blue-blood punctuation mark, named after the Oxford University Press, acts as a social signifier, a sieve for the bookish and studious (and, perhaps, pretentious).
Examples of the Oxford Comma
Here are some examples of sentences that use the Oxford Comma: “My favorite authors are Stephen King, Charles Dickens, Suzanne Collins, and Ayn Rand.”
A judge ruled in the drivers' favor last March, and it was all thanks to the lack of an Oxford comma in a Maine labor law. An Oxford comma is the comma used after the second-to-last item in a list of three or more things, “item A, item B, and item C.” It's not often used in journalism.
That said, the serial comma—despite its British name—is much more common in American writing than in Britain, Australia, South Africa, or Canada. Americans use the Oxford comma more often, while writers in other countries use it when omitting it would cause confusion.
It Gives Each List Item Equal Weight. Using the Oxford comma isn't just about clarity and readability. It's about putting an equal value on all parts of your list and sentence. Within your business, all your products or services have an equal value from a marketing standpoint.
The serial comma (also known as the “Oxford comma” in the UK) is a comma placed before the last item in a list of three or more things.
The serial, or Oxford, comma is used to set off the final item in a list of three or more items. It is placed after the penultimate item and before the coordinating conjunction (usually and or or).
Serial commas are used in American English but not in British English.
When Do I Use the Serial Comma? The simple answer is that in Australia and New Zealand, we don't routinely make use of the serial comma. That means you definitely don't put it before every 'and' in a list of more than two items. In fact, we only use it when it is necessary for clarity or to avoid confusion.
The serial comma, also known as the Oxford comma or the Harvard comma (because the Oxford and Harvard University Press style guides require it), is the final comma before the coordinating conjunction “and” in a list of three or more items.
In American English, the punctuation mark (i.e., the full stop or comma) always comes before the closing quotation mark. Conversely, in Australian English, the punctuation mark will usually come after the closing quotation mark, unless the quotation is also a complete sentence.
Revised on March 29, 2023. The serial comma (aka Oxford comma or Harvard comma) is a term that describes the use of a comma before the conjunction in a list of three or more items (e.g., the comma before “and” in “pancakes, scrambled eggs, and bacon”). The name comes from the fact that it's used in a series (list).
Although it is associated with the English city of Oxford, the Oxford comma is not actually considered standard in British English.
What is the Oxford comma? In a list of three or more items, the last comma is called the Oxford comma (or the serial comma). For example, in He bought eggs, milk, and bread, there's a comma between each item listed. The comma before and is the Oxford comma.
A missing comma in a labor law decided the case. Words have meaning (including incorrectly used words that can make you look dumb). And so does punctuation: The lack of one Oxford comma in a Maine state law just cost Oakhurst Dairy $5 million in overtime pay.